The more your leadership power grows, the more strength it will take to harness that power. The surest way to keep hubris at bay is to honor the work required to be a good leader with a continual regimen of honest self-evaluation and deliberate self-development. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, February 9, 2022. Link. Humility is essential to mental and spiritual fitness and … [Read more...]
Solutions to toxic situations
Like many business challenges, the solution to toxic situations involves making changes. And with personal issues, the best starting point is found within us. Consider the following suggestions when facing your next people challenge. Source: Inc, February 20, 2022. Link. What's the proper way to handle such toxic people? It's to put into practice one smart principle of … [Read more...]
Upon further review
Online reviews for consumer-driven businesses increased in importance during the recent pandemic. Whether they are good, bad or indifferent, how you respond can affect the success of your business. Consider these suggestions. Source: Vet-Advantage, February 2022. Link. It is important here to remember that the negative review is not going away, and the real objective is to … [Read more...]
Balancing performance and compassion
In a recent worldwide survey of 300 senior business leaders across industries ranging from hospitality to automotive to biotech, 61 percent reported they’re struggling to balance employees’ need for support with their company’s drive for high performance. Source: Harvard Business Review, February 16, 2022. Link. Leaders need to find out what employees really care about … [Read more...]
Routines are not creative
In everyday life, it is easy to get sucked into the prevailing culture. We know the expectations and what is acceptable in our working life. Even when we are working remotely, we still feel we cannot take time off for lunch, that we cannot go for a walk around the block when we need a break. Source: Fast Company, February 14, 2022. Link. The key here is to play, experiment, … [Read more...]
Ghosting
When I first heard some of my younger colleagues talking about ghosting, I thought it was some type of a Ghostbusters slime game like silly string. (Okay, I’m old.) Unfortunately, it’s not a game. So, two thoughts – don’t do it to others and if it happens to you or, as Judith Humprey offers, here are a couple of strategies to handle it. Source: Fast Company, February 9, … [Read more...]
No regrets?
To extinguish your regrets doesn’t put you on a path to freedom; it consigns you to make the same mistakes again and again. Source: The Atlantic, February 3, 2022. Link. True freedom requires that we put regret in its proper place in our life. Look out for people who may be struggling with heavy workloads or working long hours while juggling home schooling, childcare, elder … [Read more...]
Emotions – make them work for you
Emotional intelligence is finding the balance for better control of yourself and relationships with others. Source: Inc., January 19, 2022. Link. The rule of resilience is all about learning how to deal with the emotions that rise when you fail repeatedly, or when you face pressure or difficult challenges. INSIGHT: Procrastinating on a decision IS a decision. … [Read more...]
Stopping the Great Resignation
Simple suggestions from the Oracle of Omaha to ensure you have an engaged, committed workforce. Source: Inc, January 20, 2022. Link. A person with character also brings more truth and truth-tellers to the business, which makes it very attractive to others seeking the same.” INSIGHTS: Top characteristic expected of a leader = integrity … [Read more...]
No-cost coaching
Coaching is a valuable way to create clarity and deal with the uncertainty of an increasingly nuanced world of work. Source: Harvard Business Review, January 13, 2022. Link. Asking yourself insightful coaching questions will unlock your thinking and support you to identify actions that will help you make positive progress.” INSIGHT: The greatest coaching questions are … [Read more...]
Don’t reinvent the wheel
Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Here are five suggestions from successful executives that may help your business become more successful. Source: Forbes, January 11, 2022. Link. We are very good at saying no to lots of things.” - Daniel Ek, CEO, Spotify INSIGHTS: These five tips are the key to “see around the corner” … [Read more...]
Getting ahead?
What “good” performance looks like is embedded in your job description. But exceptional performance, and exponential career growth, is found in the nuance. Source: Gwinnet Daily Post, December 12, 2021. Link. When you get to a certain level, advancement is more about reputation than job skill.” INSIGHTS: High performers are willing to have fierce conversations. … [Read more...]
Managing intellectual diversity
Most workforces are equally divided into thirds among conservatives, moderates and liberals when it comes to social issues. Forty-one percent strongly favor their employer requiring Covid-19 vaccinations to enter the workplace, while 31 percent strongly oppose. The list of differences goes on, so these three suggestions are essential to getting the work done. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Toxic positivity
If you are overworked and underpaid in an organization that does not match your values or permit you to achieve your goals, thinking positive thoughts is not going to change the situation. Source: Inc. November 20, 2021. Link. This "let's all be positive no matter what" attitude is depressingly common throughout the business world. INSIGHTS: Reality requires logic … [Read more...]
Small word – big impact
"The difference between successful people and everyone else is that successful people say no to almost everything.” – Warren Buffett Source: Inc. November 12, 2021. Link. Say no to opportunities and things that don't speak to your values, or further your personal or organizational mission. INSIGHTS: Successful people are focused and may put in 60 to 80 hours per week, but … [Read more...]
Decision-getting comes from understanding
Editor’s note: Thank you Mr. Malone for your tireless commitment to provide content and context to our weekly Bulletins. The most successful people I know are those who get the most decisions. So, it is vital to understand the decision-making process. Source: Vet Advantage, October 2021. Link. Decisions are made at the intersection of “what do I know” and “how do I feel … [Read more...]
Decision making made clear
This simple rule of decision making is founded on principles of emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and manage your emotions. Source: Inc. October 29, 2021. Link. Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion.” INSIGHT: Certainly, think through your decision before acting but do not get caught up in analysis-paralysis. … [Read more...]
Followership: The Key to Leadership
In business, leadership occurs at all levels, from the executive suite to the warehouse floor and at every level in between. Source: Vet Advantage, August 2021. Link. Influential leaders, no matter what title they have or role they play, are those with willing followers. INSIGHTS: Leaders follow first, then invite others to follow them. … [Read more...]
NIB rule (notice, importance, belonging) critical to help people feel included
Take the time to offer a small gesture, a kind word or even just a nod or knowing glance that makes people feel they matter. This makes people feel a part of something. It makes them feel, in some small way, that they belong. Source: Inc. October 7, 2021. Link. Great leaders see making people feel noticed as an important part of their job. They look for ways to recognize … [Read more...]
Increase retention while eliminating burnout
This sounds impossible in today’s competitive environment, but it is not that hard. Gallup has identified three simple steps to accomplish it. Source: Gallup, August 25, 2021. Link. They know what is expected of them. They have what they need to get their work done. And their manager helps them manage their workload, collaborate effectively, and see a clear path to a bright … [Read more...]
Empathetic leadership
Effective leaders demonstrate a wide range of skills, abilities and characteristics that all play a part in their effectiveness. The ability to empathize with others plays a major role as Tracey Brower explains. Source: Forbes, September 19, 2021. Link. 76 percent of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged compared with only 32 percent … [Read more...]
Attrition or attraction? You choose.
More than 15 million workers – and counting – have quit their jobs since April 2021, a record pace disrupting businesses everywhere. Source: McKinsey & Company, September 8, 2021. Link. Employees want a renewed and revised sense of purpose in their work. Employees want social and interpersonal connections with their colleagues and managers. Employees want to feel a sense … [Read more...]
Yin and yang
In ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a conceptualization of dualism, describing how obviously opposite or contrary forces may be complementary. So it is with your strengths and weaknesses. Source: Inc., September 19, 2021. Link. No matter how good you get at understanding and managing emotions, you'll still make mistakes.” INSIGHTS: Learn from your mistakes while … [Read more...]
Failure is a good teacher
As any successful person will honestly admit, failure happens and we’ve all had our fair share of it. Source: Success.com, June 15, 2017. Link. But from each failure, we learn two equally valuable lessons. One, that there was at least one reason we failed; and two, that we can rebound from that failure. INSIGHT: Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the … [Read more...]
More effective communications
Get to the point! There are two sides to every conversation: speaking and listening. Both are essential to effective communication. Dr, Nido Qubein offers suggestion to help improve to exchanges. Source: Speakers Office, August 4, 2015. Link. Get to the point! There are two sides to every conversation, speaking and listening. Both are essential to the art of … [Read more...]
A learning mindset
It’s a blend of feeling confident that you can do the project you’re taking on while simultaneously being okay with making mistakes along the way and learning from them. Source: Linkedin Pulse, August 29, 2021. Link. I find that I’m more efficient and better at my work if I allow the time and space to improve myself. Without judgement. INSIGHT: Mistakes are only bad if … [Read more...]
Be interested
Often when I suggest that it would be more effective “to be interested rather than trying to be interesting,” I am met with a blank stare. My advice sounds good, but many people need help in asking the right questions. This column from five years ago may help. Source: Vet Advantage, December 2016. Link. Do not worry about sounding nosey. Leaders are naturally inquisitive, … [Read more...]
Success starts with followership
Unfortunately, too many people ignore followership and focus instead on trying to be more engaging, convincing or interesting. Source: Veterinary Advantage, August 2021. Link. When you give someone directions to your home or office, you first determine the other person’s location or starting point. The directions you then give vary based on where the other person is at any … [Read more...]
Communicating without words
Nonverbal communications, including, but not limited to body language, have a significant, almost subconscious influence on most in-person interactions. The way you sit or stand, your hand gestures and your tone of voice call carry a message about your attitude and emotions. Source: American Association for the Advancement of Science. Link. More frequent and longer eye … [Read more...]
Is half of your staff planning to quit?
Forty eight percent of America's working population is actively job searching or watching for opportunities. Businesses face a staggeringly high quit rate as 3.6 million Americans resigned in May alone. Source: Gallup, July 22, 2021. Link. Considering that most of the currently employed are not engaged, each new hire is liable to land on a less-than-engaging team and … [Read more...]